My Genealogy Hound

Alexander Murphy, county school commissioner of Hickory County, Mo., was born in Randolph County, Ind., in 1849, being a son of Alexander and Eliza (Quigg) Murphy, both of whom were born in the “Keystone State.” The father first removed from his native State to Ohio, thence to Indiana, his time being spent in following mechanical pursuits. His death occurred when his son Alexander was a small lad, and his widow still survives him, and resides in Hickory County, Mo., with our subject. The latter is the youngest of the family, and has been a resident of Missouri since his early boyhood, and has always had the welfare of his county at heart. His rudimentary education was obtained in the common schools, and this he supplemented by a course in the graded schools of Urbana and Weaubleau, obtaining thereby an excellent education. He then began teaching in the public schools of Hickory and adjoining counties, continuing this occupation for twenty years, and is one of the most successful and popular educators of the county. In 1879 he was elected to his present position, re-elected in 1881, and again re-elected in 1889, being a candidate of the Republican party, of which he has long been a member. He has taken great interest in improving and raising the standard of schools, and in this respect great progress has been made since his first election. He has been quite successful in the accumulation of this world’s goods, and is the owner of 120 acres of good land in the county.